Ossicular replacement prosthesis for Nepal

Ossiculoplasty is a surgical treatment where the ossicular chain is replaced for a prosthesis to recover a major part of the hearing capability. Two types of ossicular replacement prosthesis are commercially available: Total Ossicular Replacement Prosthesis (TORP) and Partial Ossicular Replacement Prosthesis (PORP). In Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs) this loss of hearing can push vulnerable people across the boundary of poverty from which they can hardly recover. For those, paying 250 EUR can be much more than they can afford. Therefore, a UK ear surgeon (based in the Green Pastures Hospital in Pokhara, Nepal) builds his own prostheses using about 2cm of titanium wire. The production of these prosthesis is however quite crude and limited.

The aim of this graduation assignment is to rethink this homemade prosthesis and come up with a design and production method that fits the context of Nepal. The Nepal-based UK ear surgeon is available to give his expertise on the clinical side of the assignment. Arjan Knulst is also based in Nepal.

Contact:

Dr. Ir. Arjan Knulst (a.j.knulst@tudelft.nl)

Prof. Dr. Jenny Dankelman (j.dankelman@tudelft.nl)